Ampulla composed of several compartments adapted for the purpose of radiotherapeutics



2 1 1,626,338 April. 927 w. o. HEUBLEIN AMPULLA COMPOSED OF SEVERAL COMPARTMENTS ADAPTBD FOR THE PURPOSE OF RADIOTHERAPEUTICS Filed Jan.28, 192s Patented Apr. 2, 192?.

aura rras WILHELM OSKAR HEUBLEIN, F FRANKFORT-ON-THE-MAIN, GERMANY.

AMPULLA COMPOSED OF SEVERAL GOMPARTMENTS ADAPTED FOR THE PURPOSE OF RADIOTHEBAPEUTICS.

Application filed January 28, 1926, Serial No. 84,306, and in Germany January 12, 1925.

This invention has for its object to create for the use by physicians a substitute for a physical radium apparatus consisting of an ampulla composed of several compartments designed to be used for radiotherapeutics and combining the advantages of the radium bath and the treatment by radium rays.

According to the invention an ampulla composed of several compartments contains in the lower compartment the dry radioactive'substance or an emanation occluded by suitable porous or colloidal bodies. In

the first mentioned case only such radioactive substances are used which are capable to form, with physiological sodium chloride solution, bodies similar to the thorium -X or to the radium-selenate from the motherlye, e. g. representing a decayor solutlonproduct. The upper compartment of the 2 ampulla contains carbonic water or free purevdistillated water, ph .siologic 'SOdllllIl chloride solution or pre erably synthetlc serum.

According to the duration of the actlon of the injection-liquid on the radioactive decayor solution-product a weaker or stronger radioactive injection solution 1s obtained. At the absorption of the emanation suitable filtering materials as zeolites, dry silicium hydrate, acetyle-cellulose, boneblack or blood-black and the like are enclosed as absorbent in the lower compartment of the ampulla, preferabl in the shape of cylindrical bodies. After t e emanationcontaining media, as for instance air or water, have been conducted through the lower compartment of the ampulla, the absorption-materials in this compartment become emanation-containing in such a man- Her thatthe degree of elficiency of the occluding emanation amounts to 90% and more of the corresponding radium-preparate in the form of hard-radiating radium C. It is generally known that at the dissolving of a radium-salt in water the separation of a radioac'ive substance takes place. The decay-product escapes in gaseous state and represents the emanation. The two above indicated cases can therefore be combined in such a manner that the dry radioactive substance enclosed in the ampulla is surrounded by an envelope of filtering material. This envelope serves to intercept the ion-currents of the gaseous emanations which are produced. If a combined ampulla of this type composed of several compartments is to be used, the injection liquid is made to flow into the lower evacuated compartment, so that the solution gradually develops thorium X from the motherlye (for instance radium thorium) a decomposing of the thorium --X takln place at the same time. This thorium isotope with radium and mesothorium, goes over into the thorium emanation which, by the colloidal filtering envelope, is almost quantitatively occluded owing to its extraordinary absorption capability. The radioactive equilibrium state is very much stabilized by this arrangement.

The ampulla just prepared is adapted to be used for the purposes of radium bath and radium ray treatment.

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 shows an ampulla comprising two compartments containing in the lower compartment a reservoir e for the radioactive substance.

Fig. 2 shows a similar ampulla containing in the lower compartment an absorption cylinder m. W 4

Fig. 3 shows an ampulla composed of two compartments and containing a reservoir and an absorption cylinder in the lower compartment.

a is the ampulla-compartment for the liquid medicament and b is the ampullacompartment in which solid radioactive substance and gaseous emanation are stored, said emanation being alsocalled niton. Between the two ampulla-compartments a vaulted partition 0 is arranged which acts as a breaking lever. In order to produce the connection between the ampulla compartments at and b the vaulted partition 0 is adapted to be broken oil? at the point 9 so that the two compartments of the ampullacommunicate with one another thropgh a narrow neck 03.

In the form of construction shown in Fig.

1 a receptacle a of glass is arranged in the compartment 6 of the ampulla and serves to store the radioactive substance 71,. This compartment of the ampulla is preferably evacuated. If the lever 0 is broken off the medicament flows through the neck 03 into the receptacle 8' l filled with radioactive substances and collects in the compartment I A small portion, 'o'fthe so1id:radio-con-. tainingsubstance h is dissolved bythe liquid medicament flowing through the: glass rel ceptaclefie. By the liquid k standing: for

lower compartment. i In the ampu la com:

1 'Eartment b, as shown in Fig, 2, colloids with igh absorbing capability :for radio-:emana "tion are enclosed; I Bodies which have a 4 large surface are specially adapted for this gurpose; In the drawing a :hollowcylinrical body we of plastic blood-black, iori The: compart-;

i :silicic: acid. jelly is shown.

:ment b of the ampulla must be evacuated in order that thezmaterial transport of the ion raysis' reduced, 7 The charging, of the'absorp .tion body is 'efiected in a simple manner by conducting through the glass tubes emanation-containing media, for instance mgases or liquids, and by letting them how out through the pointed extension 1}. I After. the saturation the:: ointed extension if is I: closed b -melting,t 'e'ampulla b is'evacw ate'd an i also closed at c by melting. i In the form of construction shown in Fig.- 3, the compartment b of-the ampulla'is fitted in asimilar manner as-in the; forms ef'con 'structionofFigs.1'and2r l e is the'glass vesselcontainingtheradim.

active substance and m is the absorption cylinder.

In order to enable an easy withdrawing through the extension 7 of the,liquid to be injected-the cylindrical body m is slit at the side turned towards this pointed extension (Fig. 3).

From the forms of construction described and shown by wa of example results that 1.The ampul a composed of several compartments can be utilized directly for treatlng swellings with light rays owing to the decomposition of the gaseous radio-emanation and that- 2.-It is adapted to supply injectionliquids containing radium emanation and that- 3.It produces from the motherlye solution-products similar to thorium which products are however themselves not yet decay-products of the emanation orders. Such medicaments form the emanation only in the injected body and traverse the same with the highestdose of rays. To avoid as much as possible losses by radiation from the radioactive substance and from the emanation the lower compartment of the ampullais preferably silver-coated or copperpoated or protected by an aluminium enveope.

.partments a 1 Although ampullae composed of'two compartmentsare shown inthe figures f h v drawings each part of the, ampulla might .eyidently ihe used separately. or. in. connecvtion with an injectionsyringe: I Theiuppercompartment of theampulla maybeiuzw ther constructed so that the injection-liquid canflow intovth'e lower evacuated compart-r ment without coming, in contact with theat- 'mospheric air,

I claim An ampulla compartment containing a liquid which con.-

into the lower compartment forms directly radium emanations.-:--: I I v I .2, An ampulla composed of several come 'lower compartment containing an absorbent for I radio emanation consisting I of suitable I absorption substances silicic, acid hydrates,

which contains for instance free, dissolved carbonic acid, a partition separating the said two compartments, and means for destroying said partitionto make said compartments communicate with one another so that the liquid flowing from the upper compartment into the lower compartment forms solutionand decay-products similar to the thorium X. a

3. An ampulla composed of several compartments adapted for the purposes of radio therapeutics, comprising in combination a lower compartment containing an absorbent for radio emanation consisting of suitable absorption substances silicic acid hydrate, zeolite, acetyl cellulose, plastic blood-black and the like in the shape of coarse grains, an upper compartment containing a liquid which contains for instance free, dissolved carbonic acid, a partition separating the said two compartments, and means for destroying said partition to make said compartments communicate with one another so that the liquid flowing from the upper compartment'mto the lower compartment forms solutionand decay-products similar to the radium-selenate.

composed: of several compartments adapted for the purposes oifradio therapeutics, comprising ,incombination a lower compartment containingan absorbent for radio emanation consisting-of, bodiesretaining "radioactive substances, I an upper,

apted forthepurposes ofradio therapeutic-s, comprising in: combination a a I zeolite, acetyl cellulose, plastic blood-black y hand the like in the. shapeofcoarse grains,

an upper compartmentcontaining .a: liquid 4. An ampulla composed of several comment which contains the radioactive substance is silver-coated to prevent losses from radiation.

5. An ampulla composed of several compartments designed for radium therapeutics as claimed in claim 1, in which the compartment which contains the radioactive substance is copper-coated to prevent losses from radiation.

6. An ampulla. composed of several compartments designed for radium therapeutics as claimed in claim 1, in which the compartment which contains the radioactive sub- WILHELM O SKAR HEUBLEIN. 

